Sunday Bulletin 16 th of September 2012 Sunday after the Holy Cross

Sunday Bulletin 16 th of September 2012 Sunday after the Holy Cross God s people, serving God s people Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral 1324 South Normandie Avenue, Los Angeles, 90006 Office: 323.737.2424 Fax: 323.737.7029 www.stsophia.org www.stsophia.org/bulletin Very Reverend Father John S. Bakas, Dean Reverend Father Allan Boyd, Assistant Priest

CALENDAR FOR THIS WEEK Sunday, September 16 th Orthros...........8:15am Studies in the Faith.....9:15am Memorials. 9:45am Divine Liturgy............ 10:00am Monday, September 17 th Catechism with Father Allan...7:30pm Tuesday, September 18 th Women s Bible Study with Father John..... 10:00am Men s Bible Study with Father John.... 11:30am Wednesday, September 19 th Hellenic Academy (Adults)..7:00pm Thursday, September 20 th Old Testament Bible Study with Father Allan..7:30pm Saturday, September 22 nd Hellenic Academy (PreK 6)......9:30am Hellenic Academy (Adults)...12:30pm PLEASE NOTE Due to schedule conflicts, Father John Bakas is unable to offer his Tuesday night Bible Study class at this time. Coffee hour in the Huffington Center Maniatakos Fellowship Hall EPISTLE READER... Jeanine Hanna 2

DAILY VITAMINS FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH 3

MEMORIALS Nicholas Katsapis - 40 days Dan J. Tangalakis - 40 days Dr. James G. Selimos- 1 year Theodoros Panagota Athanasios Maria Maria Sophia Darbacopoulou - 2 years Vasiliki Yiorgios Adam Marego Yiorgios Nicholaos Maria Frank Cockinos - 40 days Efrosini ALTAR CANDLES Both Sides offered in loving memory of Dan J. Tangalakis, husband and father by his loving family SOLEA CANDLES Offered in loving memory of Sophia Darbacopoulou by George & Maria Rumanes and grandchildren Nicholas & Sophia PERPETUAL LIGHTS Two lights offered in loving memory of Frank Cockinos by his sister Petsa Cockinos-Schwartz May their memory be eternal 4

Υμνος Ηχος α Ηχος πλ β Ηχος γ Τροπαριον του Ναου, Ηχος πλ δ Ευλογητος ει Χριστε ο Θεος ημων, ο πανσοφους του αλιεις αναδειξας, καταπεμψας αυτοις το Πνευμα το Αγιον, και δι αυτων την οικουμενην σ αγηνευσας, φιλανθρωπε, δοξα σοι. ΚΟΝΤΑΚΙΟΝ Ηχος δ 5

HYMNS OF THE DAY Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His footstool, for He is Holy. Save us, O Son of God, Who was crucified in the flesh, as we sing to You, Alleluia. First Tone Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance, granting our rulers to prevail over adversaries, and protecting Your commonwealth by Your Cross. Sixth Tone O Christ, the angelic powers appeared at Your tomb, the guards were as dead, and Mary stood by the grave, seeking Your sacred body. You destroyed Hades, yet remained untouched by it. You encountered the Virgin and, through her, bestowed Life. Glory to You Who have risen from the dead. Third Tone O Ephemia, beauteous virgin of Christ, you brought great joy to the Orthodox and shame to the heretics, for you confirmed all that the Fathers of the Fourth Council had well decreed. O glorious martyr, beseech Christ God to grant us great mercy. Troparion of Saint Sophia (Holy Wisdom) Blessed are You O Christ our God, Who as all wise the fishermen You showed forth; By sending your Holy Spirit down upon them and through them the universe You drew unto your net. O lover of mankind Glory to You. Kondakion - Fourth Tone Lifted upon the Cross by Your free will, Christ God, grant mercies to the new commonwealth that bears Your name. Gladden our faithful rulers by Your power, giving them victory over their adversaries. May Your alliance be for them, a weapon for peace, an invincible standard. 6

ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ Πρὸς Γαλάτας 2:16-20 Ἀδελφοί, εἰδότες ὅτι οὐ δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ἔργων νόμου, ἐὰν μὴ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐπιστεύσαμεν, ἵνα δικαιωθῶμεν ἐκ πίστεως Χριστοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου διότι οὐ δικαιωθήσεται ἐξ ἔργων νόμου πᾶσα σάρξ. Εἰ δέ, ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ, εὑρέθημεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁμαρτωλοί, ἆρα Χριστὸς ἁμαρτίας διάκονος; Μὴ γένοιτο. Εἰ γὰρ ἃ κατέλυσα, ταῦτα πάλιν οἰκοδομῶ, παραβάτην ἐμαυτὸν συνίστημι. Ἐγὼ γὰρ διὰ νόμου νόμῳ ἀπέθανον, ἵνα θεῷ ζήσω. Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι ζῶ δέ, οὐκέτι ἐγώ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, ἐν πίστει ζῶ τῇ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντός με καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ. 7

Let Us Attend.. EPISTLE READING Verse: O Lord, how magnificent are your works. You have made all things in wisdom. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Wisdom.. Reading is from Saint Paul s Letter to the Galatians 2:16-20 Let us be Attentive.. BRETHREN, you know that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 8

GOSPEL READING The Reading is from Mark 8:34-38; 9:1 The Lord said: "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? For what can a man give in return for his life? For whoever is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power." 9

STEWARDSHIP MINISTRY NEWS Believe and Belong Through Christian Stewardship We hope you celebrated with us our fantastic L.A. Greek Fest, which marked the beginning of our New Ecclesiastical Year. Congratulations to Chairmen Jan and Ted Pastras, their committee, and the hundreds of volunteers who contributed to the success of this most important cultural event of our Cathedral. THANK YOU. The New Ecclesiastical Year is a reminder to begin our participation in the many ministries, which offer spiritual, educational and cultural programs for all ages. In order to be able to faithfully serve our community, the work of our ministries to implement and maintain these programs never stops. We are deeply grateful to our active stewards who sustain and manage this vibrant community of faith through their offerings of time, talent and money to support our operating needs. As the work of our ministries never stops so are our efforts to meet our financial obligations. We prayerfully hope that we can reach our $1,000,000 stewardship goal this year by kindly asking all parishioners to become active stewards. Wishing you an enlightening and fulfilling Ecclesiastical Year, The Stewardship Committee Much is required from the person to whom much is given; much more is required from the person to whom much more is given. Luke 12:48 10

MINISTRY NEWS (continued) PHILOPTOHOS NEWS September has arrived. Schools have started and fall is on the way. Philoptohos meetings are starting again with new projects for the upcoming year. Please join us to learn what Philoptohos is doing. Our meetings will be held immediately after liturgy on Sundays, in the General Assembly Room of the Huffington Center. Our next meeting is scheduled as follows: Sunday, September 23 rd Tina Russek - Los Angeles Mission, speaker We wish to thank everyone who participated in the sock drive for the Los Angeles Mission! We take for granted the everyday things in life like having clean socks to wear but for people who have no socks at all, it is huge. Thank you to everyone who donated socks. Plans are in full motion and underway for our Debutante Ball on January 20, 2013 at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel! Mark your calendars for a spectacular evening! With love in Christ s service, Virginia Noyes and the Philoptohos Board of Directors 11

MINISTRY NEWS (continued) PHILOPTOHOS VIP NEWS Thursday, October 4 HUNTINGTON LIBRARY & BOTANICAL GARDENS, SAN MARINO We'll be starting our trip by having a brunch at a local restaurant followed by the visit to the beautiful Botanical Gardens and Library. Paid reservations are a must. Please call chairperson Mersy Loukaris (323)661-1592 or co-chair Athina Lolonis (818)846-1357. Make checks payable to Philoptohos VIP c/o Mersy Loukaris 3841 Edenhurst Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90039. Deadline is Sept. 27 th. Cost of the trip is $ 27.00 which includes bus, visit of library and gardens and branch. The bus will depart from church at 10:30am (please be half an hour earlier). We will return to church at 4:30pm. In His Service Mary Morrison President of VIP Philoptohos PHILANTHROPIA NEWS ******************************************* USED CLOTHING and CANNED GOODS: This is a year-long project, so please continue your donations as there are still many we need to reach. Please identify all clothing donations on the outside of the bags by indicating whether they are for men, women or children. The receptacles for "used clothing" and "canned goods" are located side by side, near the chapel. Thank you! PHILANTHROPIA WEBSITE: www.philanthropiaministry.org God bless you! Father Peter ******************************************* The AMNOS Ministry is continuing to collect magazines for area hospitals to help patients and families pass time. We would like to thank everyone who has brought their magazines to be donated. The hospital Auxiliaries have been grateful for your thoughtfulness and kindness. The Donation Box can be found next to the Chapel on Sundays. Please make sure you remove your address labels. 12

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS MINISTRY NEWS (continued) Another school year is about to begin. TODAY we will again be kicking things off with our Annual Ice Cream Social. Following Holy Communion we will be gathering in the gymnasium to enjoy some ice cream and verify student registration. On Sunday, September 23rd, we will have our first classes of the year. For those of you who are participating in the St. Sophia Dance program, this is the first Sunday where your attendance counts toward your dance requirement. ******************************************* SAINT SOPHIA BOOKSTORE Saint Sophia Book Club Our next selection will be: The Screwtape Letters Letters from a Senior to a Junior Devil by C.S. Lewis In this humorous and perceptive exchange between two devils, C. S. Lewis delves into moral questions about good vs. evil, temptation, repentance, and grace. Through this wonderful tale, the reader emerges with a better understanding of what it means to live a faithful life. Meeting & Discussion: Thursday September 27 th @ 7:30pm in the Bookstore November Book Club selection: Healer's Light - Achieving the Impossible - by Gudata S. Hinika, MD, FACS Date and time to be announced. 13

Saint Sophia Greek Folk Dance Ministry Dance Practices will begin the weekend of September 22 nd. Please check with your directors for the time and location. If you are new, please contact the people listed below for more information. Please join us on TODAY @ 1pm Huffington Center General Assembly Room The Greek Folk Dance Ministry will hold their Annual Orientation and Registration Meeting TODAY after Liturgy. In order for you to complete your registration forms, pay your fees, and receive updated information on the program, it is critical that you attend this meeting. You may also access the registration forms on Saint Sophia Cathedral s website. This ministry will have 5 groups this year with over 70 participants. If your child is 5 years old by December 1 st they are eligible to join our youngest group. Please plan to attend the meeting if you are 18 years old or older. The goal of our Saint Sophia Dance Ministry is to connect our children to a relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ as expressed through our Orthodox Faith and as celebrated by our rich culture and heritage of dance and song. Please Note: It is mandatory that each dancer attend Sunday School, on time, at least 10 times from the beginning of the Fall Semester through January 27 th. If your child does not have at least 10 on-time Sunday School attendances by that date, their paperwork will not be signed and they will not be able to dance at FDF. We look forward to seeing you after Liturgy TODAY.. Your attendance is mandatory.. For further information please contact: Eleni Constantine - 310 420-8374 Barbara Kappos - 626 695-4742 Demitra Koutsos - 818 903-7059 You may also e-mail us: st.sophia.folkdance@gmail.com 14

COMMUNITY NEWS BRAVO TED, JAN, FEST COMMITTEE AND ALL VOLUNTEERS After a one year hiatus, the 2012 L.A. Greek Fest came back with a big OPA. It was a wonderful and majestic celebration that yearly achieves its goals of bringing our Saint Sophia Cathedral community and community at large together in fellowship and mutual respect with a common goal of continuing development of the area. Few know how much work is involved in putting it all together so flawlessly and harmoniously. As always, there was a special spirit present of joy and fun. The Holy Spirit was also present in our witnessing of the Faith during the many church tours and spiritual discussions. Thank you to Jan and Ted Pastras co-chairs of the Fest, the Fest Committee, the Parish Council and all volunteers who made the 2012 L.A. Greek Fest such a success. BRAVO AND EFHARISTO TO ALL. May God reward your endeavors with His eternal blessings. ******************************************* LA GREEK FEST RAFFLE RESULTS Congratulations to all the Raffle Winners at the L.A. Greek Fest! Grand Prize Hawaii or Caribbean Joanna Zachary 1st Prize Color TV Kelly Mills 2nd Prize Las Rocas Hotel Lena Ghobry 3rd Prize Capri Laguna Inn Mary Lopez 4th Prize Apple ipad Joanna Zachary 5th Prize DVD Player Christopher Mariacakis 6th Prize Set of Luggage Jeanne Hanna For a full list of winners, please refer to the October issue of the Herald Newsletter. ******************************************* ROOMMATE WANTED Saint Sophia Cathedral Residences Roommate wanted to share a two-bedroom bright and spacious apartment with private bath and assigned underground parking. For additional information please e-mail or call: roommatela@hotmail.com 818-929-1180 15

COMMUNITY NEWS (continued) Parents with Small Children As many parents know, we have a wonderful Cathedral nursery for toddlers and children under 5 years old. It gives parents the opportunity to worship and pray while their children are cared for in a loving and caring way. The nursery is located on the south side of the Huffington Center, across from the St. Constantine Chapel. ******************************************* WE NEED PROSFORO We request offerings of Prosforo for the cathedral anytime within the next several weeks. ******************************************* St. Sophia Moms & Tots Program is a Faith, Music and Movement infant and toddler program designed for Moms and/or Dad's with young children between the ages of 6 months - 3 years. If you are a parent or caregiver with a little one, please join us! Begins Wednesday, October 3, 2012 through May, 2013 10:30am -11:30am Huffington Center at Saint Sophia, in the Nursery Room $60 registration fee per child Our weekly gathering will consist of singing, dancing and movement activities, followed by story time and a craft activity based on our church calendar (be it a Feast Day or a Saints day, etc.). We will learn how to do our cross, say our prayers, and much more! For information please contact the St. Sophia Moms & Tots coordinator, Katia Boudouvas at kbakas@gmail.com ******************************************* OCF COLLEGE STUDENT SUNDAY TODAY! As Orthodox students arrive on college campuses, OCF is already in high gear, organizing resources and programs to help our students stay connected to Christ and His Church. TODAY, parishes across North America are celebrating College Student Sunday by recognizing our college students. Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) is a critical ministry. Many of our young people have participated in Orthodox pre-schools, Sunday school, and robust teen activities (youth groups and camps). Upon high school graduation, however, they are put to the test, and forced to face real world challenges without the benefit of family and spiritual support. OCF is on college campuses to make sure our children have a safe and reliable 'home away from home.' Here at Saint Sophia, we all need to extend extra efforts to make sure that local college students see Saint Sophia Cathedral as their home-away-from-home. 16

September is time to Renew! Saint Sophia Cathedral and It is time to renew your Ralphs Card Donation for Saint Sophia Camp Zoe! Every September all participants are asked to re-register. By registering your Ralph s Card online or in person you will be donating a percentage of your spending to Camp Zoe to further the mission of providing a camping program structured to meet the needs of children with severe physical and developmental disabilities from families living with economic challenges within the city of Los Angeles. Without Camp Zoe these children would likely never experience the joys of Camp. Camp Zoe was founded and is run by dedicated volunteers and Clergy of Saint Sophia. Camp Zoe is designed to help these much deserving campers develop a "sense of self. By registering your card for Saint Sophia your own rewards will not be affected. 100% of the money received from Ralphs will go directly to Camp Zoe. Register by one of three ways: 1. Online at www.ralphs.com Our NPO is 82038. If you have not registered your card before with Ralphs you will have to register it at this time. 2. By taking this letter to Customer Service of your local Ralphs Grocery Store. 3. By taking this letter into Ralphs the next time you shop and asking the cashier to scan the BarCode with your Rewards Card. RALPH S CASHIER OR MANAGEMENT TEAM MEMBER: Please scan the bar code below along with the customer s rewards card or alt ID within their order. A purchase is required in order for the link between their card and the organization to work. This procedure is successful when you hear the audible beep & see the words LOYALTY DIV on the receipt. For more information please log into: http://www.ralphs.com/myralphs/703/pages/community_contribution.aspx Thank you for your involvement in helping us at Camp Zoe! The Camp Zoe Team 17

For those who are sick or suffering St. James advises us, If anyone among you is sick, let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. (James 5:13-14) Ensuring that St Sophia s parishioners continue to be cared-for and prayed-for, please list names below of those in our midst that need prayer. Feel free to request the personal prayer of one of our priests after services, or to schedule this with one our priests during St Sophia Cathedral s office hours. As you request prayer, you may also wish to make an offering to Saint Sophia s Altar Fund. Label: For the health of PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY: Please submit this form to: Saint Sophia Cathedral Office 1324 S Normandie Ave. Los Angeles CA 90006 18